Grade the trade: Lakers outbid Heat for Damian Lillard in proposed deal
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers have put together an excellent offseason that is going to lead nicely into the 2023-24 season. Rob Pelinka was able to bring back the same core that just made it to the Western Conference Final while also making some key additions to that core.
The big moves this summer are likely over as the Lakers have two roster spots to utilize at their convenience. We are not going to see the Lake Show make some kind of blockbuster move at this point in the offseason.
However, the door is open for the purple and gold to make that kind of move during the season. If things are not going well for Los Angeles and the team is getting pressured by LeBron James then we could see an eventful deadline for LA.
That is still a long time from now and there are caveats to that happening. LA is not taking a massive swing if the team is performing up to or exceeding expectations. But if there going to be a huge swing, there is no bigger swing than Damian Lillard.
Lakers have the means to trade for Damian Lillard at the 2024 trade deadline
Damian Lillard’s trade saga is the hottest thing in the NBA right now with the All-NBA guard requesting a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers. However, Lillard is being very particular in where he plays and only wants to play for the Miami Heat, who do not have the best package to offer.
This could cause the Blazers to do what the Brooklyn Nets did with Kevin Durant and simply wait until the deadline when a more desperate team is willing to trade more. If things are going bad for the Lakers, they could be that desperate team.
So, what exactly would a Lillard trade at the deadline look like and would it even be worth it for the purple and gold? Let’s dive into the trade package itself and hand out some grades.